Hot rodding, which began as a strictly backyard, do-it-yourself activity, is no longer. Sure, shade-tree mechanics still thrive, and most rods are still conceived and built by their owners, but the level of skill needed to build a safe and sane daily driver has led to an interesting situation: the advent of the one-stop-shop warehousing operation. These joints can literally supply a rodder with every part needed to complete a thorough rebuild and a specialty shop which can, with few exceptions, bolt these pieces together.

2/13On a zero to 100 scale, Savas' '57 was about a 40, so a body-off modernization was a necessity. The OEM frame was inspected for damage, then fitted with new motor, trans, and rear spring mounts before being media-blasted ("Take It Off..." Aug. '98) and powder-coated

Now, let's add another element to this equation-the guy who has always wanted a streeter but never acquired the skills or the tools to successfully modernize an aging passenger car or light truck. Imagine yourself after living in an apartment and then acquiring a "fixer-upper" tract house. Your first move is to modernize it. But instead of getting out the hammers, nails, and paint brushes, you hire a remodeler to do it.

HRM's Publisher Jim Savas is like the new home owner. He never owned a hot rod, but Power Touring changed his mind. So he bought a '57 Bel Air 210 fixer-upper. He had never acquired the skills, tools, or had the time to modernize it himself. Instead, he put his trust in California Street Rods and the specialty supplier Classic Chevy International to assist in the modernization.

3/13Part of the modernization process was to replace all mechanical assemblies with OEM substitutes or more modern components (front disc brakes, rack-and-pinion steering) tailored for earlier suspension systems.

How much should he spend on his $3,500 fixer-upper? Chuck Lombardo, the founder of CSR, has a formula. If it's rare, like a four-speed "fuelie" or convertible, then the sky's the limit. But there are a lot of run-of-the-mill, $2,000-$7,000 '57s out there, so let's not go crazy 'n' like no more than $20,000. "Remember," said Lombardo, "Savas is going to drive his '57 on a daily basis. It wasn't intended to be a 100-point winner or a simple shave and haircut 'cheepie' either. Savas' ride was to be more like a show driver-a car that was simple, strong, easy to maintain, and dependable with a taste more pizzazz than a stocker." Or in Little John Buttera-speak-a nice "reacher."

This installment illustrates what it takes to build a "Rookie's Reacher"-that is the modernization of a 41-year-old so-so passenger car using current replacement parts and assemblies, powertrain components, wheels and tires, and creature features then house them all in a mildly modified envelope.

"The hardest part rebuilding this car," says CSR's Rob Marchese, "was lifting the body off the frame." While the carcass was being chemically stripped and the frame sandblasted and powdercoated, Lombardo and Savas began selecting the new stuff-brakes, suspension, cooling, steering, glass, illumination, and interior and exterior trim parts from the one-stop, has-all CCI, including 765 different components, clips, cables, cranks, clocks, and caps. In fact, the only parts that CCI didn't supply were the Currie 9-inch Ford rearend, the Edelbrock-equipped GM Performance Parts V-8/700-R4 trans combo, the American Racing wheels, the BFG tires, plus a few goodies from Ciadella, Custom Auto Sounds, Glide, ididit, and LeCarra.

4/13While its baby-boomer body was in reasonable shape, it needed a new right-rear quarter-panel in addition to numerous braces, supports, latches, splash aprons, shields, shims and fasteners, and related rubber grommets and seals.

The only modifications to the original frame were the installation of side motor mounts, new trans mounts to accept the automatic, and moving the leaf springs inboard so that the wheels and tires would clear.

Naturally, any wheel/tire selection for a "custom driver" can be a head-scratcher, but Savas' design sense prevailed, and he went the modern American Torq-Thrust route-17s rather than 15s-and then surrounded them with BFGoodrich Radial T/As, 245x50x17 front, 255x50x17 rear.

5/13One of the few non-stock changes to the otherwise OEM envelope was smoothing off the "gun sights" and excising the "V" emblem.

In keeping with the project's short-stop, bolt-together agenda, Savas chose a crate-style GM Performance Parts, 300/350 V-8 long-block, then topped if off with an Edelbrock aluminum intake manifold, carb, and exhaust manifolds. Classic supplied the OEM water pump, radiator, electric fan, and a gear selector that fits on an ididit steering column.

As you might imagine, the sheetmetal of his $3,500 wonder was in a semi-sorry state. Again, CCI threw him a lifeline with replacement parts and a host of related elements including hinges, fasteners, stainless trim components, rubber goodies, interior assemblies, and brightwork much too numerous to cover. Suffice to say, if it was on a '55-'57 Chevy passenger car or light truck, it's quite likely to be part of CCI's inventory.

By the time I saw Savas' sedan it was a shell. One month later the shell was not only slicked up-thanks to some CSR custom bodywork and PPG-supplied Mercedes silver urethane-but filled with everything from a Glide door, to Ciadella upholstery, to CCI Bel Air door panels, headliner, rug kit to dome light, and sill plates.

A year ago our publisher didn't know the difference between a '55 and '57. Now he knows. In fact, his '57 Rookie Reacher, a near bug-free Power Touring long hauler, never saw anything less than 55. The era of the custom driver is now upon us, and Savas' "modernaire" is just the latest classic to make the hit parade.